I shoot people and then I ask questions

My family did their best to shield me from the bad stuff associated from my Dad’s addiction

“My Dad died of a heroin overdose when I was 20-years-old. I come from a ‘normal’ family but addiction had been a central part of my upbringing. I don’t think my Dad ever wanted to become a drug addict, and I don’t think I’ll ever know what made him choose that path, but he did, and sadly he was unable to free himself from his addiction. My grandparents and the rest of my family did their best to shield me from the bad stuff associated from my Dad’s addiction; the methadone, the pain and suffering. I watched him struggle every day trying to beat the demons that were overpowering him, even during the periods he was sober. Sadly, he overdosed when he came home to Ireland from a treatment centre abroad that my grandparents had sent him to. People on the streets of Dublin do not have the chance to go to places like my Dad went. They suffer with no dignity and no help. I know it’s easy to say people bring it on themselves, but who are we to judge what puts these people where they are? As a society, we have yet to fully understand and comprehend addiction. It is something that we need to address quickly. Less judgement and more compassion. Perhaps then we can help people to fight what will inevitably be a lifelong battle. Hopefully a battle they will win.”

#SaferFromHarm

– This interview is part of a collaborative campaign between Humans of Dublin and the Ana Liffey Drug Project to raise awareness of the importance of medically supervised injecting facilities in Ireland. For more information, please visit Ana Liffey Drug Project’s Website